I am afraid.

After living in France for five months I realised how hard it is going to be to leave this country. Of course there are the things that I miss my family, my dog, school. Yet when I return so many things are going to be different. I am not there to witness the changes in my friends and I admit it I am scared. I am scared to see the changes and accept them good or bad. I am scared of how different I will be. When I return, the changes in myself and in others will show themselves and I am terrified.
I also realised today that leaving my friends will be very hard. I did not think that I could become really good friends with people this quickly but I am afraid that I have. I miss my friends from the States but I know I will see them again. In France? I just don't know.
All of this being said, I think I have chosen a date to return! The 19th of June. I know that seems early to my rotary club here but I was already planning to be back for Grand Rapids and probably also the 4th of July. If I come home just a bit earlier, my parents are going on a backpacking trip and be back on my dads week off!

Blog Birthday!

My blog is one year old! It has been a whole year since I found out I was coming to this amazing coutry. One year since I started my blog. It is amazing how life has changed in just one year. Time flies. I now have only six months left. Part of me is excited to go home to my family and friends, senoir year, prom but most of me is sad that in six months I have to return to the "real world". I wont be able to speak French everyday with everyone, I wont be able to complain about school finishing after dark or complain about the mean man who does not let us in to the lunch room. I think the saddest thing is having to leave all of the other exchange students at the end of year. Unlike my French friends they will also return to their countries and while some of my friends are from other parts of the USA and Canada; Many of my friends are from other countries such as Brazil, Turkey, Germany, Norway, Finland, Spain, and Taiwan. Even though I would love to see all of them again I don't know how much of a chance I have at being able to travel that much in the future.

I think that these photos sum up my outbound and inbound years with Rotary. Some of these photos might be repeated in other parts of my blog but in honor of my one year blog voila.

The French Inbound and me at the second outbound conference

Bon Voyage party and the cool card Brooke created

My mom and me right before leaving.

First photo in France, the plane that took us all here!

All of the students on the plane. Some had to catch other flights to the South of France.

This is only from 3 or 4 districts. I will be meeting all the exchange students in France in March or April.

Rotary meeting with the president of the region.

On the boat to Jersey. I think the sky in this photo is so beautiful.

Okay I don't know why it is not straight BUT I owe my life to these two.
They are the outbound coordinators and they are amazing!

Because Christmas is such a big part of the year ;)

I am in the Daily Press!

I am in my local Newspaper!-->http://www.dailypress.net/page/content.detail/id/534139/GHS-junior-studying-abroad-with-Rotary-Exchange-Program.html?nav=5001

I thought that was a pretty good article.

By the way: If anyone is interested in exchange talk to me!